George Bussey

George Gibson Bussey was born in Yorkshire and apprenticed as a saddler. Bussey move to London where he managed to build up a successful business making gun cases and other leather shooting accessories. 1864 saw George Bussey begin to trade as a company and moved to Peckham. The 1870 records show Busseys firm as Firearms Ammunition & Shooting Tackle Manufacturers at the Museum Works Rye Lane Peckham. Bussey patented more designs in 1876 for roller skates and an air pistol and they were listed as George Bussey & Co Leather Goods Manufacturers. The company began to manufacture a large selection of athletic goods and later made a reputation as a manufacturer of lawn tennis rackets and balls they also made cricket bats balls and stumps footballs and other leather goods. In 1887 George Bussey was known as the largest manufacturer of athletic goods in London.